spent 35 years as a managerial, administrative and worship pastor, from 1981 to 2016. He then served as Director of Management Systems at Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus before taking his current role as Director of People at Fast Slow Motion, which is a very successful and growing business consulting company that implements Salesforce and HubSpot for small and growing businesses.

In this episode, he describes one of the best onboarding processes I've ever heard.

founded Beyond Rockets in May 2019, and has built his business into an icon within the Huntsville community.

Beyond Rockets is a podcast management company with prominent clients such as Torch Technologies, HudsonAlpha, the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce, Cullman Regional Hospital, and many more.

Clark is a relationship builder and a storyteller.

If you want to meet someone in Huntsville, ask Clark if he knows them… he probably does.

has spent the past 20+ years leading people through challenging projects, integrations, mergers and acquisitions. 

Her experience spans tech companies, high-level telecommunications mergers, and a great deal of community and civic efforts that have changed people's lives.

Her most recent professional success story was leading the cross-departmental effort to modernize payment capabilities at Capstone Logistics.

She currently serves with field staff and neighborhood coordination for Lincoln Village Ministries here in Huntsville, in addition to serving on the board at Drake State Technical and Community College, and the Board President for the Union Chapel Christian Academy Foundation.

started MedTel Solutions in 2012 and sold it in less than 4 years for $3M. 

After that, he led Alliance HR from $16M to $28M revenue in his first year as VP of Sales. 

During his 4 years there, he also became VP of Operations and led the company to $48M annual revenue before selling the company in 2020.

We had a great conversation about A-Players!

has employed hundreds of people in his career on the A-Teams that he has led. He is proud to have supported them and helped them maximize their potential as they support their families. 

Jay advises business owners who are looking to grow in revenue, profit and people. He has owned, operated and sold 6 companies profitably. He has been a paid advisor for over 10 years in this capacity. 

Before that, he ran two divisions of Home Depot, each of which had 26 sales people. Both ranked #1 in America amongst groups of over 100 competing business units.

He highlights the characteristics of A-Players and shares his unique methods for assessing work ethic during the hiring process. Jay emphasizes the value of excellent leadership and establishing a great culture in attracting and retaining top talent.

Chapters

00:00
Introduction and Background

01:24
Becoming an Entrepreneur

05:45
Learning from Successful Individuals

08:44
Challenges in Business

09:38
The Importance of Firing

10:58
Characteristics of A-Players

12:48
Assessing Work Ethic

19:02
Onboarding and Setting Expectations

21:04
The Value of Leadership and Culture

22:01
Closing Remarks

has broken company records in both recruiting firms that have employed him. He started recruiting in 2019 and has steadily increased his production and efficiency each year since. Prior to recruiting, Blake was in full-time ministry, helping young adults train and prepare for long-term mission work.

Chapters

00:00
Introduction and Background

03:04
Blake Atwell's Recruiting Career

06:19
Keys to Success as a Recruiter

10:25
Being Interested Over Interesting

12:00
Key People Who Helped Blake Atwell Grow

16:30
Characteristics of A Players

24:08
Conclusion and Closing Remarks

has been the Director of Talent Acquisition at several large companies. Prior to internal roles, she was an agency recruiter and won the Recruiter MVP award at Aerotek, where she exceeded all of her goals in both recruiting and business development.

Takeaways

• Resiliency and resourcefulness are crucial qualities for success in recruiting.
• Following up with A-Players who decline offers can lead to future opportunities.
• Addressing the underlying issues that drive A-Players to consider other opportunities is essential for retaining top talent.
• Effective leadership involves empowering employees and creating an environment that encourages innovation.

Chapters

00:00
Introduction and Background

01:20
Discovering a Passion for Recruiting

03:05
Resiliency and Resourcefulness in Recruiting

04:02
Following Up with A Players

04:43
The Importance of Addressing the Underlying Issues

05:46
Mentors and Their Impact on Career Growth

08:10
The Role of Resourcefulness in Success

10:03
Characteristics of Top Performers and A Players

13:43
Creating an Environment for Attracting and Retaining A Players

16:31
Effective Leadership for High Performers

worked his way up the ladder from sales rep to VP of Remington, a $950M company.  He then served as President (Americas) for Mustad Fishing and CEO of Volcon ePowersports. He currently is the Chief Growth Officer for WATCHTOWER Firearms. 

In this episode, he adds some color to the story of his career, while also sharing his thoughts on characteristics of A Players and the companies that attract them.

Chapters

00:00     Introduction and Background

01:07     Early Career and Work Ethic

06:14     Taking Opportunities When Others Won't

09:07     Influence of Mentors and Key People

13:01     Balancing Work and Personal Life

21:01     Companies that Attract and Retain A Players

25:39     Vision, Purpose, and Transparency

29:38     Importance of Clear Goals and Competition

30:08     Conclusion and Gratitude